THR COMMON AFRICAN WAXBILL. 131 



THE COMMON AFRICAN WAXBILL. 



Estrilda cinerea, VlEILL. 



THE African Waxbill inhabits Senegambia to the River Niger, 

 across to North-eastern and Equatorial Africa, and southwards to 

 the Tanganyika district. 



The general colour above is deep greyish brown, the tail dark 

 brown, the under parts pale brownish ; the cheeks and chin whitish ; 

 the breast washed with rose-colour ; the centre of the abdomen is 

 occupied by a diffused rose-red streak ; the sides of the face and the 

 chin are whitish ; the beak, and a streak from the beak through the 

 eye to the ear, are deep coral red ; the whole of the feathers in both 

 sexes are transversely barred with blackish or brown lines ; the female 

 has less rose-red on the under parts than the male, but otherwise is 

 very similar. Length 4 inches. Legs flesh-brown ; iris brown. 



Dr. Russ calls this " The Grey Astrild," and says that it is 

 frequently and in great numbers obtainable in the bird-market, not 

 only regarded by amateurs with great affection, but also treasured by 

 the dealers. Enduring, little delicaLe, it hardly ever comes into the 

 trade badly feathered, is beautifully if not exactly splendidly coloured, 

 is graceful in its manners and uncommonly lively. 



Singularly enough of the many examples, which I have at various 

 times possessed, of this pretty little bird, only one has lived with me 

 for any great length of time : indeed, I do not believe any of my 

 specimens of E. cinerea ever lived longer than a year. One year a 

 pair constructed a very beautiful and almost perpendicularly oval 

 nest, in a bush in my bird-room, forming the outside entirely of hay 

 neatly plaited together : the hen sat inside and passed the ends of 

 the bents thrcmgh to the cock which clung on outside and passed 

 them back to her ; the entrance was at the front, circular ; the lining 

 so far as I could discover, also consisted of finer hay, but there may 

 have been other materials mixed with it ; three or four eggs were 

 laid, but not hatched, the other Waxbills being too much interested 

 in the proceedings to give the parents much peace when sitting. 



Dr. Russ says : " If not allowed to nest, the Grey Astrild is easy 



